11 November 2011

On 4th November Bob Prewett and Fran Bradshaw did a workshop for the Flash programme on 'The Principles of Retrofit'.

Delightfully organised for the RIBA by Emma Livingston Jones, at Bere Architects inspiring Mayville Community Centre, participants were lucky to be given a guided tour at the end, and even see inside the engine room - the most beautifully neat plant room!

The participants were asked to join in and do some hands-on calculating, measuring and guessing, and what a great response! It was fun, and all learnt lots about what's most useful for architects.

Another workshop - improved on the basis of what worked best - coming in the new year.

10 November 2011

Junko sent us a photograph from her recent trip to Japan. A common site there, but certainly not around here, almost every public toilet has a child seat in the corner, even in the smaller sized toilets. If you've ever tried going to the toilet with a child (or two) you'll know how much sense this makes…

9 November 2011

It's a few weeks since the Passivhaus conference, after the busy time running up to the event, I've been thinking about what was significant about it: there was a real buzz of excitement, and a great feeling that something new is really taking off here in the UK.

It was such a coming together of all the building professionals who already have lots of expertise in passivhaus, knowledge and experience of sustainable design, and lots of new people too.

The talks I heard were great, doing a call for papers meant there was a really wide range of presentations, and it was so good to hear about a range of UK completed projects, and be able to visit some.

It felt like a good successor to last year's great conference, bigger, more established, and it was really well organized event. People especially liked the light and space of the conservatory, and there was lots of opportunity to talk.

But the importance of the event seems to me to be a feeling of gathering momentum- picking up clients, planners, architects, contractors, suppliers, local authority legislators - all the people who are needed to really role out new and refurbished buildings to the standard we know will perform. When I think how much has changed over the last few years it makes me feel really hopeful.

Apologies to anyone who had to listening to me hoarsely whispering on the second day, loosing your voice at a conference is just bad planning!
Fran